The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-03-09

for the completion of the hospitals for the
insane and the State-hoUse, for the erection
of the asylum for the feeble-minded chill
dren so that they may be separated from
the soldiers orphans, for providing
means to divert the current and
extraordinary expenses of the State
for the mainten snce of the educational
Institutions; for the building of the
Soldiers Monument; and,
Whereas, The prompt passage OF these
necessary measures will avoid the necessity
OF an extra session, thereby saving many
thousands of dollars to the taxpayers of the
State; therefore,
"Be it resolved by the Senate, and House
OF Representatives concurriDg herein, that
the measures above named shall receive i'm
mediate consideration in both the Senate
and the House of RepreseE eEtatives, and be
promptly passed"
In reference to another measure, one of
the most important bills passed the Senate,
heretofore alluded to- Senator Trippet, on
the 25th day of February, 1887, introduced
the following Senate resolution, No. 50:
Whereas, On the oath day of February,
1887, the Senate passed Senate Bill, No. q,
being an act to maintain political purity;
and,
Whereas, Webster Dixon. Secretary of
the Senate, acting in his official capacity,
did make out and convey the following
message to the House of RepresenatiVss 80
wit: 81 am directed to inform the House
Senate Bill, No. q, a bill for an act 10
maintain political purity; and the same is
hereby transmitted to the House. Web
ster Dixon, Secretary of the Senate" and,
Whereas, The doorkeeper of the House
of Representatives refused said Dixon, as
aforesaid admittance to the House, under
the direction of the Speaker of said House;
the said Secretary of the Senate was also
informed that the House of Representa-
tives would not have any further commu-
nication with this Senate; therefore,
Be it Resolved, Tint the Senate learns
with regret of the discourteous action of
the House of Representatives, and it SUBJ
mits that said action of said House is un-
precedeDed, unparliamentary and unconsti-
tutional; that it is obstructing needful
legislation; detrimental to the interest of
the people and revolutionary in its ten
dencY."
The sBme obstructive course was taken
in reference to the bill of Mr.. Foster, of
Madison, a Democratic member of the
House, having for its object the graded re-
duction of the fees and salaries OF county
officers, under the constitutional amend
adopted a few years ago for that purpose,
This bill was introduced, adopted and con-
sidered in the House, and passed to the
Speaker; and the Clerk, under the direc-
tion of the Speaker, wholly refused to
transmit the same to the Senate for its
consideration, and the measure so much
needed by the people in consequence to-
ally failed.
The Senate Concurrent Resolution No.
13, above referred to, was considered and
passed in the Senate and transmitted with
an accom- panying message to the House
on the 2Sth day of February, 1887; but the
person IN charge Of the Senate message was
refused admittance to the House, and was
informed by the subordinate that he met
at the door that he was acting under the
instructions of the Speaker and the House
in making such refusal. This was wan
ton act of Unauthorized power on the part
of the House, wholly unparliamentary,
and unprecedented in the history of legis-
lative procedure in Indiana or elsewhere.
1t was a ruthless violation not only of the
rules of the two Houses, but of the laws
of ordinary decency and propriety sovern-
ing official intercourse between the two
branches of the same Legislative Assem-.
bly,. This act did not proceed upon the
theory that the House of Representatives
would dictate to the Senate its presiding
officer, which would be a position suffi-
GENTLY absurd and untenable, but this act
proceeded upon the theory that the House
of Representatives could Judge rightly of
who should be the presiding officer of the
Senate, and in what manner the messages
Of the Senate should be transmitted to the
House-a proposition still more unreason-
able. The Senate would have as much
constitutional authority to dictate to the
Housewife should be the Speaker thereof,
andEhow its messages should be sent to the
other branch as the House had in this in
stance to instruct the refusal of such mes
sages.
Other bills OF great importa nee failed to
become laws on account of being unable to
verify them, not having any record evil
dence to do so. The proceeding on the
part of the Speaker was wholly irregular
and unparliamentary.
Another act of unparalleled arbitrary
conduct of the Republican House was its
adjournment at 10 O'Clock a. m. on Satur-
day, the last day on which bills might
have been passed, until IL a. m. Monday.
That was done for the purpose of prevent
ing the Governor communicating with the
House and also to prevent the possible
passage of the Loan and Appropriation
bills. In the whole history of the State no
such action has ever before taken place.
The result of this interference by one
body with the organization and officers of
the other would be absolute anarchy and
misrule. As deplorable as this condition
Is, it Is one which has been forced upon
the people of the State by the action of the
Republican factionists in the General AS
sembly. They have undertaken unlaw-
fully to seat their pretended Lieutenant
Governor. We have resisted their attempt.
We have offered, at all times, lawfully to
adjudicate the question. If evil result
from the insurrectloHary course of these
Republican conspirators we wash our hands
of it. Our constituencies shall Judge
between Us. 1t will certainly be
found, upon an examInstlon of the
conduct, acts and facts in the
history of this legislative session, that
the somewhat helpless and unfortunate
condition in which public affairs of the
Commonwealth are left at our adjourn
ment, is due and due only to the factious
obstruction of necessary legislation by the
Republican majority in the House of Rep
resentatives, and it will also be certainly
discovered that the principal motive for
their official malfeasance and misfeasance
and disregard for constitutional duty was
the desire upon their part to be revenged
upon the majority in the General Assem-
bly, for their disappointment in failing to
elect their candidate for Senator of the
United States. We have by our action
carried into effect the will of the people,
supported and defended the Constitution
of the State against the assaults of revolu-
tlonary violence, and in so doing the per-
manent interests of this Commonwealth
have been faithfully maintained and
secured.
INNAN H. FOWLER,
4r,rf ov.I n